Dr. Gary Lee Ford, 75, of Elk City, Oklahoma was born on November 16, 1944 in Clinton, Oklahoma. He is the son of Ray and Ruth Ann (Clark) Ford. Gary went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, August 28, 2020 at his residence in Elk City, Oklahoma surrounded by his loving family.
He attended grade school at Indianapolis Country School just east of Clinton, Oklahoma and a short time in Hobart and Elk City while his mother attended LPN school. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1963. He attended Southwestern State College for two years before entering the University of Houston College for Optometry. In 1967 he married Carol Lou Hinz in Clinton, Oklahoma and they lived in Houston as Gary continued school and worked at NASA on Apollo 11 part-time. Upon graduation from the University of Houston he enlisted in the United States Army Volunteer Draft and served two years at Reynolds Army Hospital, Fort Sill, Oklahoma as a Captain.
Gary moved to Elk City in 1970 to begin his optometry practice. In several years Dr. John Edwards joined the practice and it became Dr. Ford & Edwards until his retirement in 2015.
He was active in Elk City Education Foundation, Kiwanis, and taught Sunday School at First Baptist Church for fortyyears. He served on the Oklahoma State Board of Optometry and was an active volunteer for HELP, Inc.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, Elk City, Oklahoma. Rev. Danny Ringer, Pastor Jase Hargrove, Rev. Billy Smithey and Rev. Keith Russell will officiate. Interment will be held at Fairlawn Cemetery, Elk City, Oklahoma. Services have been entrusted to the care of Richard and Tammy Dugger and the staff of Martin-Dugger Funeral Home in Elk City, Oklahoma.
Cherishing his memory is his loving wife of fifty-three years, Lou Ford of the home; daughter, Toye Crouch and her husband, Cody of Elk City, Oklahoma; son, Ty Ford and his wife, Tiffany of Elk City, Oklahoma; daughter-in-law, Patty Ford of Shawnee, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Kenlee Crouch, Tate Crouch, Avery Ford, Cooper Ford, Trip Ford and Taylen Ford all of Elk City, Oklahoma; nephew, Rick Smith and his wife, Tonia, Matt Ford and his wife, Kenna all of Clinton, Oklahoma; nieces, Vanessa Baker and her husband, Kenneth, Janet Weichel and her husband, Steve, Lissy Ford all of Clinton, Oklahoma; brother-in-law, Joe Hinz and his wife, Rosemary of Newton, Kansas; sister-in-law, Nita Kay Ford of Clinton, Oklahoma.
He is preceded in death by his son, Shelby Ford; parents, Ray and Ruth Ford; brothers, Joe Mac Ford and Doug Ford; sister, Joy Smith and in-laws, Elmer and Agnes Hinz.
Memorials can be made to HELP, Inc., Gideons International, or the Elk City Education Foundation in care of Martin-Dugger Funeral Home, P.O. Box 707, Elk City, Oklahoma 73648.
Online condolences can be sent to the family by using the online guest book at www.martin-dugger-funeralhome.com.
The family would like to invite all that cannot attend to watch the service live on Martin-Dugger Funeral Home Facebook page or on YouTube.